The present invention relates to a zero-clearance insert for the blade of table saws and particularly to zero-clearance table saw inserts which overcome the many deficiencies of conventional zero-clearance table saw inserts.
The advantages of a zero-clearance table saw insert are well known. In particular, with a zero-clearance table saw insert, there is no gap between the saw blade and the insert. Thus, a zero-clearance table saw insert will enable splinter-free cuts to be made in plywoods and chip-free cuts to be made in laminates for a fraction of the cost of a dedicated blade. Additionally, the workpiece being cut is supported everywhere but where it is being cut such that the corner of a workpiece can not extend below the saw upper surface and the like to reduce the possibility of jamming and/or kickback.
However, prior zero-clearance table saw inserts were often formed of a single piece of cutable material and thus were expensive, difficult to fabricate with a planar upper surface, difficult to prevent warpage after manufacture, and impossible to be leveled once installed and to minimize flexing during use. Although two piece zero-clearance table saw inserts have been provided, prior two piece zero-clearance table saw inserts secure the cutable portion by use of dovetail joints which increase the required size of the cutable portion, are difficult to fabricate, have no provisions or ability to adjust the upper surfaces of the metal and cutable portions, and are otherwise deficient.
Thus, a need exists for table saw inserts that overcome the problems and deficiencies of prior table saw inserts and especially zero-clearance table saw inserts.